The Arrival of Dan
After returning.
"H-How on earth did you notice?"
The Information Analysis Team was in utter chaos.
They had almost ended up using a precious healer as a mere support class.
I didn't know the details, but the civil servant who had conducted the initial evaluation was probably getting chewed out big time.
"I just watched him and figured it out."
Honestly, you'd have to be an idiot not to notice.
"I'll be taking care of Jumin for the time being."
"Excuse me? B-But..."
The official's eyes wavered.
From the Hunter Bureau's perspective, Woo Jumin was prime prey.
He was only seventeen, his parents were missing, and on top of that, he was a healer—a class desperately lacking worldwide.
If they played their cards right, the Bureau could secure a healer to run ragged for them.
"It is still too dangerous for him to accompany you, Hunter-nim..."
Please. What, is the tower not dangerous when he's a debuffer, but suddenly dangerous because he's a healer? It's equally dangerous either way.
"Don't worry."
"Pardon?"
"I'm planning to do a little charity work."
"Ch-Charity work...?"
"I'll boost his level in no time."
"...!"
"And turn him into an S-rank healer."
For my own exclusive use, of course. Heh heh heh.
"Jumin, what do you think?"
"Th-Thank you, Hyung!"
"We have the consent of the party involved, so there shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Still, he is still a minor..."
"The ones who authorized this 'minor' to enter the tower in the first place was the Bureau."
Exactly. The Bureau was the one trying to exploit him from the start. Bringing up his age now would only put them in a tight spot, not me.
"I'll pass the word to the Bureau through Kang Mina."
"I-I understand..."
The Information Analysis Team official nodded. Since I was pushing forward so shamelessly, there was nothing he could do. Besides, their mistake was too massive to begin with. How could they fail to recognize a healer?
"Let's go, Jumin."
"Huh? Yes...!"
Standing beside me with a dazed expression, Woo Jumin glanced back at the official before quickly following behind me.
"Hyung, then..."
"Where have you been staying?"
"Me?"
"Who else is here besides you?"
"In the Third Section..."
"From today on, you're staying with me."
I had already been thinking that my place was too spacious to live in alone. Maybe it was because I was used to living in a tiny single-room studio.
"W-With you, Hyung?"
"Yeah. I live in the First Section, and there are way too many empty rooms."
"But still..."
"I'm not doing this for your sake. It's for mine."
"...!"
"Starting tomorrow, you're going to be running ragged in the tower with me."
Contrary to my expectations, Woo Jumin's face actually brightened up.
"Thank you, Hyung...!"
What was he so thankful for? I literally just told him I was going to work him to the bone. Ignoring me scratching the back of my head, Jumin bowed deeply and shouted.
"I'll do my absolute best!"
From the next day, the hellish training began.
Well, from my perspective, it wasn't really hellish training. I could easily clear the 10th-floor range by myself. However, it was a pretty brutal grind for Cha Yerin and Woo Jumin.
"Pant, pant..."
"Huff, huff..."
By the time we cleared a map, both of them would be gasping for air, barely able to breathe.
And for good reason.
"Yawn."
As the main damage dealer, I was just slacking off and doing nothing. While the two of them fought the goblin soldiers, I only stepped in to manage the mob count.
Then, right before they were about to collapse, I would sweep the remaining goblins away. We repeated this cycle of clearing maps endlessly.
Both Cha Yerin and Woo Jumin leveled up significantly. Yerin was on the verge of reaching level 20, while Jumin was close to level 15. It was smooth sailing.
Since Jumin kept grinding the tower even on Yerin's rest days, he would catch up to her level in no time.
My calculations proved correct.
[CLEAR!]
[CLEAR!]
[CLEAR!]
[CLEAR!]
...
[CLEAR!]
Within a fortnight, Cha Yerin reached level 20, and Woo Jumin reached level 18.
Upon breaking through levels 10 and 15, Jumin acquired two skills, both of which were incredibly useful.
Anubis's Ashes cured status ailments, while Eye of Horus granted a shield to allies. When tested, Eye of Horus synergized perfectly with Yerin, who was a tank.
If the Bureau had taken charge of Jumin, it would have taken him ages just to obtain Anubis's Ashes. What a colossal waste that would have been!
"Tomorrow is finally the day we challenge the 20th floor."
"I never imagined I'd be challenging the 20th floor so soon."
Yerin's voice sounded deeply moved. In truth, she had been a subsistence hunter until now. Rather than focusing on growing stronger, she had spent her time grinding low-level zones just to open chests... But her skills were far too good to waste like that. If she steadily honed her abilities, she had the talent to climb as high as she wanted.
"Get some good rest today, and I'll see you tomorrow."
"Yes. See you tomorrow!"
After returning, Yerin left, and I headed back to the residence with Jumin. Right on cue, Do Sangjin had already prepared dinner. Today's menu was pork jjageuli.
"Thanks for the meal, Sangjin-ssi."
"Thank you for the food!"
The hunger after clearing a dungeon was monstrous. I felt like I could chew and swallow iron rebars. Jumin, being at an age where he was growing rapidly, was probably even hungrier. We competitively shoveled the stew into our mouths, along with a cheese-loaded steamed egg soufflé.
"Ahhh!"
Washing it down with a cold glass of cider instead of alcohol was pure bliss. Absolutely killer.
"You seem to be eating less lately, Hunter-nim," Do Sangjin remarked after a brief hesitation.
"Oh, really?"
"Before, you would go down to the cafeteria even after eating here. Lately, you stop at just four bowls..."
Isn't four bowls still a lot? Well, I had a hunch why. It was the Deep Sleep Socks.
"You know that item I said I was using?"
"Yes."
"I think its effects have stabilized."
"Ah...!"
Indeed. Ever since the Deep Sleep Socks cleared my meridians and opened my danjeon, I had been eating massive quantities... but lately, that process seemed to have stabilized. I no longer woke up with impurities coating my skin, and my appetite was gradually returning to normal. My body felt lighter and sturdier than ever.
I had worried that this body reconstruction might suddenly turn me into an ultra-handsome guy, but thankfully, my face remained exactly the same. At most, my skin had just gotten clearer. Ah, why are my eyes watering...?
"Also, the External Cooperation Team has contacted us."
"Suddenly?"
"They said they would like to meet with you tomorrow, Hunter-nim."
The External Cooperation Team. Then, as expected, it must be that.
"Do you have something in mind?"
"Yes. Remember what I told you before? From Japan..."
"'Dan' must have arrived."
Exactly. The S-grade weapon I was supposed to receive from the Japanese side in exchange for handing over the information on the Wrath of the Sun map. Dan.
It lacked even the most common attack power boost, couldn't cut or pierce a single thing, and instead inflicted debuffs on its user. A completely useless white elephant.
"I thought it would take some time to receive it, but they were faster than expected."
"After all, Dan is nothing but a nuisance to Japan."
"I figured as much."
As I was talking with Do Sangjin, Jumin asked curiously, "If it's such a nuisance, why did you bother getting it?"
"Just because?"
Perhaps my answer was too anticlimactic, because Jumin dropped the spoon he was holding. Haha.
"Jumin."
"Yes...?"
"Money, you see..."
"..."
"...isn't as grand as you think it is."
"...!!!"
It might not resonate much with a kid like Jumin. He'd probably understand when he grew up a bit more.
Anyway. So tomorrow, I'd meet the External Cooperation Team and finally get my hands on Dan. Although rumors of its uselessness had already circled the globe several times over, there was no telling what would happen once it was in my hands. Just like how Jumin, who had been tossed around by rental scammers, came here and became a proper healer.
"Please add the meeting with the External Cooperation Team to my schedule."
"Understood, Hunter-nim."
The next day. For some reason, I woke up earlier than usual. Was it because of anticipation?
No matter what anyone says, it's still an S-grade weapon in the end...
It would only be complete once I got the other half, but who knew? If I messed around with it, I might find a way.
And what about me? I'd basically be getting an S-grade weapon for free! It was a gamble worth taking. After all, the only decent weapon I had right now was the Elf's Sword. Even though it easily rivaled most A-grade weapons, the feeling was completely different. The feeling! Ahem.
Anyway, the meeting with the External Cooperation Team was scheduled for around 11:00 AM. After receiving Dan, I planned to challenge the 20th floor with Yerin and Jumin in the afternoon. I hoped I could find some clue there.
"Hunter Lee Taepyeong!"
Outside the External Cooperation Office, Kang Mina was already waiting for me.
I was only there to pick up Dan, so I didn't expect any trouble... but she had insisted on coming, asking if I had any idea how devious the Japanese Tower Administration was.
"You're early."
"Of course. It's your business, Hunter-nim."
I followed Mina into the office. Since the External Cooperation Team handled diplomatic affairs, their office felt much flashier than other departments.
"Please wait here for a moment."
An official guided us in. I plopped down onto a sofa that looked expensive at a glance.
"It's just picking up an item, but they sure make it complicated."
"Well, it's not like we're doing a secondhand trade on Carrot Market."
Mina laughed, seemingly impressed by her own joke. Well, she wasn't wrong.
After waiting for about thirty minutes, the official who had guided us in returned with the team leader. The team leader carried a tray with a wooden box on it. The box was wrapped in a paper band with red Chinese characters, looking as if it were sealed.
I don't feel any special energy from it...
Wrapping it like that just made it look unnecessarily creepy.
"This is Dan."
With the introduction, the team leader held out the tray, gesturing for me to open the wooden box myself.
Rip.
I tore the paper band wrapped around the box. It must have been purely decorative, as nothing happened when it tore.
Click.
I opened the wooden box.
"Oh..."
A blade about fifty centimeters long revealed itself. To call it an S-grade weapon, it looked too ordinary... No, actually, it looked rather subpar. The tip was blunt, and the blade was rusted.
...I feel like I'd get tetanus just by brushing against it.
Besides,
this is less of a sword and more of a...
How should I put it? It looked like one half of a pair of scissors snapped right down the middle. Instead of a hilt, it had a handle loop meant for inserting a hand.
The first impression isn't great.
Well, it didn't matter. Even if I couldn't get my hands on Jeol... there were countless ways to utilize Dan. If it really proved useless, I could just sell it to China, which held Jeol. I wouldn't lose anything either way.
Though, of course, it would be best if I could get both.
With that thought, the moment I reached out toward the rusted blade—
BZZZZZZT!!!
Something completely unexpected happened.